How a Personal Coach Can Help You Make the Most of Life After Graduation

After 16 long years of studying and taking exams, you finally get to walk across that very important stage. You have just graduated, and you're an adult. And now what? This is a very important transition phase in your life. For the last 16 years, everything was planned out for you. But now, you are the only one who's responsible for the direction of your life. You might feel the pressure, of course, but you should be excited also to make important decisions in your life and career.

Read the following tips to get an idea about how you can make your life more meaningful:

1. Be prepared and have a plan

You are now the primary decision-maker in your life, which means you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders. While it's ideal that you be prepared for this moment in your life, you have to understand also that nobody can be fully prepared for life. It's because life is a complex series of circumstances, decisions, situations, choices, and consequences. Thus, it's vital that you have a plan on how to approach life and what to do about it.

2. Stick with the choices you make

There will not be a day in your life when you don't need to make a choice. And these choices will in one way or another affect different aspects of your life. Thus, you need to make smart choices and be sure to stick with them. You must be decisive, persistent, and choose with conviction.

3. Don't be scared to be bold

Life is a risk, so you should just play along. For you to be successful in life, you need to be ready to take risks. Take note, however, that you shouldn't be stupid in choosing what risks to take. You have to determine the risks that are worth taking. Lastly, remember that you won't be able to live lie to the fullest if you always take the easy way out. 

4. Be a giver

If you choose to invest only in yourself, you can't expect your investment to live on when you die. On the other hand, if you decide to invest in others, all your investment will remain even after you're gone.

5. Find a mentor

After you graduate, you'd be surprised to know how little you actually know about life. Many things will confuse you, and it could be really hard for you to make certain career and life decisions. What you should do is ask for advice or seek counsel. Do not hesitate to get a personal coach or a career coach who will give you the guidance you need to make important and good decisions both in your personal and career life.

Personal Coach: Common Hindrances to Good Decision-Making

Whether on a personal or an organizational level, decisions need to be implemented. Thus, it's vital that you, as a leader, be personally committed to the decision. You also need to be able to persuade other people of the merits of your decision so that you may get their support.

But decision-making isn't always easy. In fact, there are a number of things that can prevent you from making good decisions. Below are some of them:

Not having enough information.

Without sufficient information, it would be like you're making a decision based on nothing. You have to be responsible for gathering the necessary information that will enable you to make the right choices. If you are pressed for time, identify which information is most vital for your decision-making.

Having too much information.

When you have too much information that is conflicting, it will be impossible for you to see what has to be done. This is often referred to as analysis paralysis, which is sometimes used as a tactic to cause delays in organizational decision-making. You can solve this problem by gathering everyone involved so you can all together decide which information is important.

Too many people are involved.

It could be difficult to make decisions by committee. Every member will have their own views, opinions, and even values. Although it's important that you take into account the opinions of each person involved, you need to take responsibility for making the final decision.

There are vested interests.

Vested interests are not always expressed clearly, but they could become blockage to a group's ability to make a decision. In these cases, it would help to look into the rational aspects with all stakeholders. It is also a good idea to have an external facilitator who will support the process.

Emotional attachments.

Many decisions involve the need for change, and many people find it hard to deal with changes. If you are to make a personal decision and you are attached to the status quo, you need to assess the situation very carefully so that you could weigh the pros and cons of your possible decision.

No emotional attachment at all.

It would be hard to make a decision on something that you don't care about. In such cases, you have to use logical and practical reasoning so you could come up with a decision that will yield positive results for the parties involved, which don't necessarily include you.

Conclusion

There are a number of decision making techniques that you can use, whether you have to make personal or professional decisions. If you're still having a hard time deciding for yourself or for your department, you could always run to a personal coach for help. A personal coach will not make the decision for you, but he or she will assist you in coming up with right decisions.

Executive Coaching: How to Train Yourself to Be a Better Leader

Not all of us are natural born leaders, but this doesn't mean that you can never be an effective leader if you were not born with natural leadership skills. As a matter of fact, many of the most successful leaders in the world have taken responsibility for training themselves to be great leaders.

Do these 5 things to train yourself to become a good leader:

1. Keep every promise that you make.

Avoid making promises that you don't think you can keep. The fastest way you can kill your credibility is to breach a promise or commitment. To be a good leader, you need to develop integrity and discipline to fulfill every commitment and promise you make. You should practice it with your colleagues and even with your kids, too.

2. Be properly dressed so you can influence.

You don't have to dress to impress. Instead, you should dress to influence. What it means is that your appearance has to be consistent with your professional and personal brand. Just try to imagine how you want your leader to look. You also want not only yourself to look good, but your company as well.

3. Treat your own employees the way you want them to treat your customers.

It would be hypocritical for you to ask your team to be kind and courteous to clients while you are being rude to your employees. When you are a leader, it doesn't mean you have the right to be mean to the people under you. Good leaders always find a way to support their employees so that they may be successful.

4. Ask for feedback and don't just wait for it.

There are some leaders who are not comfortable with unsolicited feedback. They treat such feedback as criticism, and so they fail to use it as a chance to learn and be better. Good leaders know the importance of feedbacks, and they know how to use them to improve. Instead of waiting for your team to be brave enough to give you feedback, ask for it instead. The best way to ask such information is by asking something like "What do you think I can do to become a better leader?"

5. Demonstrate your commitment to personal growth.

When it comes to growing your business, there are two things you should do - grow your team and grow yourself. When you and your team improve, the quality of work that you all do get better as well. As a result, services are more efficient, and your products are higher quality.

There are several ways to grow your employees. You may give them training, or opportunities to be part of a coaching program. For leaders like you, an executive coaching program will help you develop into a more effective business leader.

Team Building - Tips for Surviving a Micromanaging Boss

It could be very stressful and frustrating to work for a micromanaging boss. And if you want to improve your situation in the workplace, the most important step is to understand why your boss is actually acting that way. Through this knowledge, you will be able to learn how to adjust your own behaviors so that you can enjoy your work once again.

Use the following tips to help improve your life at work under a micromanaging boss:

1. Evaluate yourself.

Before you try to find out what has caused your manager to be over-controlling, do a self-assessment first and figure out if something has changed in your performance or behavior. Have you been successful in meeting your boss's expectations? Are you causing problems or delays in the workplace? It's important to start with yourself because there could be a reason why your boss is treating you the way he or she is.

2. Give it some time.

It isn't uncommon for newly promoted or hired managers to behave in different ways the moment they learn about the expectations from them and how the organization works. Take note also that it takes time to establish rapport and trust, so you have to be more patient with the way your boss is behaving.

3. Try to observe your boss's behavior.

We all act differently under stress, and this could be the reason your boss is acting unreasonably. Pay attention to what triggers your boss's tendency to be controlling. Once you have identified what gets your boss worked up, you will be able to prepare yourself for what may happen.

4. Update your boss regularly.

One of the biggest reasons why managers tend to micromanage is their being clueless about what their team is working on. Try as much as you can to let your boss know everything. By keeping your boss updated on the things that are happening in the office, your boss will start to realize that you can work well and effectively on your own.

5. Make your boss look good.

Micromanagers have insecurities, no doubt about it. Thus, it would help better your relationship with your boss if you can make him or her look good in the organization. Prepare the things your boss needs for a presentation, and constantly make him or her feel that you trust in their judgment.

6. Talk to your boss about it.

It's possible that your boss doesn't know how their behavior is affecting the people around them. You may have an honest talk with your boss just to let him/her know how you feel. By showing your boss that you trust how he or she will accept your opinion, you are allowing both of you to have a more open line of communication, which is an important factor for effective team building.

Business Consulting - Importance of Keeping Communication Lines in the Workplace Open

Every manager recognizes the importance of frequent and open communication in the workplace. In fact, communication is a vital soft skill that each and every member of an organization or company needs to have to ensure the success of a business.

Benefits of Good and Open Communication

As the name implies, communication is a two-way process. In order to maximize productivity and motivation among your employees, it's important that there be open communication lines between managers and staff. Through open communications, these values are promoted:

a. Transparency. When an employee feels confident that they can talk to another employee and to their managers without worrying about reprisal, they are more likely to be participative and proactive in determining potential problems in the organization, as well as finding out solutions to those problems. Employees who are allowed to know about the obstacles the company is facing are very likely to offer great ideas that will help the company to overcome its problems.

b. Conflict resolution. In any organization, conflicts among its members are inevitable. But then again, management has to find a way to resolve those conflicts in a professional and timely manner. With open communication, conflict management and resolution become easier. It allows employees to voice out their opinions, and it becomes easier for managers to resolve such conflicts.

c. Innovation. When employees are given access to information, they are in a better position to deal with any problems or issues they may come across with their colleagues or clients. Such information also helps them to become more efficient in completing their tasks.

Making Full Use of Open Communication in the Workplace

An open communication plan in a company or organization is just as good as those who implement it. When it comes to developing and maintaining open workplace communication, both managers and workers have to work hand in hand.

For workers, they need to take the initiative to share information with one another, and they should also make an effort to communicate with management on a regular basis to make sure the communication lines are open.

As a manager, you may improve your communication with your employees by promoting an open-door policy as well as by having frequent one-on-one meetings and group meetings with your employees. It is your job as a manager to encourage your employees to not hesitate to open up to you about anything they are going through at work. You have to be approachable and easy to talk with. More importantly, you need to take proper action to address whatever their issues are.

Promoting open communication in the workplace is not the easiest thing to do. Thus, there are business consulting services that you can get to receive the help you might need to make this successful.

Life Coaching - Can a Man Benefit from Dating a Successful Woman?

A lot of men tend to be so intimidated by strong, successful women mainly because most males still believe they are meant to be the head of the household. Until today, a lot of men still feel that there is a competition between them and most women in the workforce. This can lead to a rift in relationships, because for a relationship to be successful, it should be nurturing. Also, Both men and women should encourage each other when it comes to their personal and professional lives.

Instead of getting intimidated, it would be better for men to actually date successful women. Here's why:

1. She is very self-dependent

Women who have successful careers are independent in almost all aspects of their lives. These women understand what it means to work overtime, and the importance of having an alone time. Thus, they don't have problems when their partners have to focus on work or when they have to relax. Successful women also have their careers, money, and friends, which they can all manage well and on their own. 

2. She will help you succeed in life and in your career as well.

Successful women are driven and very eager to move their lives and careers forward, and you can expect them to do the same thing for their men. Career women don't consider their life partners as competitors. Rather, they always wish for the same success as they are having with their husbands or boyfriends. Men can also expect successful women to help them brainstorm for their projects and how to meet their deadlines. 

3. As a couple, you can have more money.

Dual income is often good for relationships. Successful career women care a lot about their jobs, and their income, of course. For a man, this would mean having less worries about family finances. Men can also enjoy a part of their income for travel, fun, and others. At the same time, the ability of a career woman to make money can significantly help in their efforts as a couple to build the life they want to have.

4. She can appreciate even the small things.

Women succeed in their careers because of determination and sheer hard work. They do their best at work every single day, and this can cause them to feel tired and stressed when they come home. Men shouldn't be concerned, though, because this could also mean that she will be able to appreciate the little things more easily. In fact, by offering to do the dishes or setting the dinner table, men can see how happy these things can make her.

Life coaching experts always say that when it comes to keeping a relationship, it is important for both a man and a woman to be successful individually, so that they may easily find satisfaction in their relationship. Men should not consider successful women as a threat, because the truth is that these women can be very helpful in their lives and even careers.

Business Coach Tips on How to Best Handle Work Travel

If traveling is part of your job description, then you are a road warrior. This means that you need to travel frequently for work, and work frequently while traveling. Many workers who are stuck in their office chairs every single day think that being a road warrior is an ideal job. They think that nothing can be more exciting and rewarding than being able to go places and receiving a regular salary at the same time. Ironically, those who already have jobs that involve a lot of traveling, this situation is not always ideal and desirable. As a matter of fact, their job comes with some complications that also have to be dealt with as well.

If your job requires you to travel a lot, you should find the following tips really helpful:

1. Prioritize your tasks (for your trip and self care).

If you're up on a business trip, make sure that you prioritize the tasks that need to be accomplished. Do not forget to include the tasks you will have during your trip, as well as the pending tasks in your office. Determine which are the most important ones so you could accomplish them first.

Prioritizing and delegating tasks will allow you to enjoy your trip after work hours. Traveling can be very stressful, so you should give yourself some time to unwind and enjoy the places you are going to.

2. Hold yourself accountable.

One key to being successful is having accountability. Remember that during your travels, nobody's going to check on you to see if you have done what you should do. Thus, it is vital that you not procrastinate. Find ways to keep yourself on track. Perhaps you could use apps that will remind you of your tasks. It is also recommended that you set deadlines in your calendar so that you will always be up-to-date with the things you have to do.

3. Travel light.

When you go on business trips, you should take with you only the things you need, such as clothes, gadgets, and office materials. Nothing can be worse than traveling with so many bags to carry. Thus, you should decide what are the most important things you need to have while you are traveling.

4. Have a backup plan.

What if your laptop crashed during your presentation? What would you do if you lost your files that you need? It's important that you always have a backup of all the files that you need when you travel. There are many apps and online tools you can use for this, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, which will allow you to access all the files you need wherever you are.

These steps are very simple and easy to follow. Even your business coach will tell you that it is these simple things that will make your business trip successful and enjoyable at the same time.

4 Habits That Can Make You Look Unprofessional According to Your Personal Coach

Are you wondering why you can't seem to stand out in the workplace despite having better credentials than any of your coworkers? While there could be a number of contributing factors to your inability to get a promotion, it's also possible that you are displaying certain behaviors that are preventing you from growing professionally.

Take note of these unprofessional habits that can keep you from being successful:

1. You have wandering eyes.

You know you're doing this, but it's become a habit already that you often don't realize you're doing it in front of special people. Whenever you hear something you disagree to, you tend to react with your eyes. You can't be too comfortable doing this because it's likely that your supervisor will notice it. This behavior can be seen as a sign of disengagement, and this could be your boss's reason for not considering you for a higher post in the company. If something at work frustrates you, you need to learn to discuss it with your boss or whoever is involved.

2. "That's how things are here."

There is actually nothing wrong with this statement if you use it with people who are close to you and know you well. However, if your boss hears you saying that about your company, he or she might have a negative impression of you. It's because the statement shows that you already have some negative ideas about the organization, which you actually don't care about. Employers want employees who are concerned about the success of the company. If you see some problematic aspects in the workplace, do enough research and let your supervisor know about it. Be sure to suggest solutions to the problems as well.

3. Using profanities.

No matter how casual or unconventional your workplace may be, there is no way for frequent use of profanities to be acceptable. By saying a string of curse words, even when you are alone in your cubicle, will definitely make you look so unprofessional. You have to understand that not everyone around you is used to hearing such words, and not all of them are comfortable being around someone who can't seem to stop cursing. If you want to earn the respect of your coworkers, then you have to look and sound respectable.

4. Always using "you guys".

If you want to be labelled or seen as an outsider, all you need to do is refer to your team as "you guys". You have to acknowledge that you are part of the team, and refrain from making remarks that would make you look otherwise. As any personal coach would say, you always have to make an effort to work harmoniously with your team if you want to be considered as someone who has a potential to be a great leader.

Different Types of Executive Coaching

In the past, executive coaching was done confidentially because leaders were embarrassed. In fact, many professionals would even do it without the knowledge of the HR. Thus, it was difficult to know if the coaching actually worked, and if it did, to what extent.

But so many things have changed in the past decade already. In fact, executives are more enthusiastic about the benefits of coaching in their business and in their professional development.

Executive coaching is indeed a dynamic field, and these are the main types that have emerged over the years:

Therapeutic

The goal of therapeutic coaching is to help professionals or employees become more motivated, creative, and productive. In this kind of program, the "patient" is asked about what he or she felt when a certain incident happened, or what caused him or her to do a specific thing.

Life

Life coaching is actually a new part of the coaching market. People in this field are generally very caring and warm people who are committed to helping their clients move on from a bad experience and move to a better life. While, this kind of coaching does not have a huge corporate following yet, more and more professionals are beginning to appreciate the positive impact of this kind of coaching on their professional lives.

Career

Career coaches work with people who are looking to change jobs or careers, as well as those who have just been promoted into a new position. A career coach will help you identify what your passions are, and will also create a plan for you to help you incorporate those passions into your career life.

Command

Command coaching or directive coaching is where you have another person hold you accountable for your own actions. A good example of this is a fitness coach. Your fitness coach will come up with a fitness plan for you, and will tell you how to reach your goals, but it will be entirely up to you how you are going to stick to your fitness plan in order for you to succeed.

Business

Business coaches typically work with CEOs and business owners who are seeking a high return on investment. These clients believe that when they perform better, their organizations will do better as well.

Business coaches are often considered as consultants. However, they are not paid to execute anything. Their main responsibility is to equip leaders with knowledge and expertise that will make them better leaders of their organizations or businesses.

Executive coaching is very common in the workplace nowadays because of the many proven benefits of it. While this could be considered as an extra investment for organizations, the long term benefits are well worth it. 

Getting a Personal Coach and Other Ways to Become a High Performer

If you want to be successful, you need to be willing to pay the price. Unfortunately, so many of us are just content with the status-quo. Many of us are satisfied and happy with 'what was', and not 'what can be'. On the other hand, high-performing individuals think and behave differently.

High performers achieve all their professional goals not only because of who they are or who they know, but rather, because of the things they do. Success and achievement are correlated with happiness. Thus, it is vital that you map out your actions and beliefs so that you could be a high performer. Find the tips below to be the best you can be:

1. Define the goals you want to accomplish and commit to your goals.

By being clear with what you want to achieve in life, you are able to see how you are going to achieve those goals. Through your persistence, attitude, and visualization, you are propelled into a more meaningful existence. Furthermore, you gain the confidence that you will get your desired results.

2. Discover your passion and uncover your purpose.

Once you have uncovered what you are passionate about, you will be able to pursue the career that will play to your strengths. Through your passion, you can successfully discover your enormous potential that is necessary to attain your goals. By knowing what you are passionate about, you will develop the mental discipline that will help you define the necessary actions to facilitate success.

3. Learn how to recognize other people's emotions and handle relationships.

Accomplished individuals have high emotional intelligence. You should learn to prioritize learning to be in-tune to the feelings of people around you. With your ability to practice empathy, you also gain the ability to read others' mind and feelings. As a result, you will be very effective at navigating the complexities of being in a corporate landscape because you know how to form alliances.

4. Learn to manage your own emotions.

It is very important that you be good at calming your mind. You can do this by mastering slow and controlled deep breathing. It will only take your few minutes each time, but it is enough for you to feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally.

5. Find a mentor.

A personal coach is someone who has the experience and the expertise that you can take advantage of for your own success. With the help of a coach or a mentor, you will be able to realize your weaknesses that you have not yet seen. Your coach will tell you about what improvements you still need to make so that you can have a better life and career. 

Is Meditation Good for Your Career? Answers from a Personal Coach

Personal Coach

There will always come a point in your career that you will find it extremely stressful. It could be because you have a looming deadline, or perhaps you’ve been working too hard to impress your boss and to deserve a promotion. Whatever the reason for your stress is, it’s important that you address it and protect yourself from getting swamped by problems and concerns at work. Allow yourself to take a break from time to time and have a more positive outlook in your life and career.

There are a couple of things you can do to be free from stress caused by your career, and one of them is through meditation.

Career Benefits of Meditation

ü  Meditation helps reduce anxiety, so you can feel more relaxed and more focused on completing your tasks on time.

ü  Meditation will help you make sound decisions because it enables you to think about things more rationally and logically.

ü  It enhances your creativity. Experts say that meditation has the ability to improve the connectivity between the two parts of the brain – the left analytical and the right controlling creativity.

ü  Meditation improves your ability to concentrate as it allows you to block out all the distractions around you.

ü  It also helps reduce your stress levels.

How you can incorporate meditation into your work life?

a. Meditate for at least a minute every single day. You could meditate for just about 5 minutes every times. It would be good to develop a habit of taking a moment to center yourself and breather before you starting doing anything.

b. Focus on how you breathe. The most important aspect of meditation is how you breathe. By controlling your breathing, your blood pressure stabilizes and the flow of oxygen in your body also improves. As a result, you will feel increased alertness.

c. Stop when you’re exhausted. When you find yourself exhausted already, take a moment to regroup yourself. Stop, breathe, and refocus.

Benefits of Meditation in the Workplace

Meditation is beneficial not only to an individual, but in an organization or workplace as well because it can positively affect the performance of an organization as a whole.

a. Enhanced Communication – A clear mind can express clear thoughts. In order for any business operation to run smoothly, it is important for employees and managers to have very clear and effective communication with one another.

b. Decreased Absenteeism – Meditation enables workers to deal with stress more effectively. As a result, they experience improved overall health, and they are less prone to depression and anxiety.

c. Increased Productivity – A personal coach would even say that through meditation, workers become better at dealing with their stress better. They are also able to focus on achieving their goals and the goals of their company as well.